The Forerunners of Christ with Saints and Martyrs

Fra Angelico was a member of a religious order that was brought to life by Saint Dominic and doubling up a painter thus drew most of his artistic creations inspiration from the church his convent was attached to and this panting is just part of the Fiesole San Domenico Altarpiece group of paintings by Fra Angelico.

The foreground in the painting comprises three rows of subjects in the painting, which is a representation of the different precursors of Christ that included female saints and male martyrs with palms. A vivid representation of the Court of Heaven. This egg tempera on wood painting is a stunning delivery by the painter with his mastery of vivid imagery enabled by the maximised utilisation of colour in fantastic resolution. Fra made use of paints that enabled him create panoramic views in the painting that receded far into the distance in the background of the painting. This was followed by a great degree of precision in the detailing and smoothening out the transitions of all the colour ingredients in the painting. The result is a painting that appears to be much more realistic.

The juxtaposition of his contemporary and historical theological designs in the painting easily draws a viewer into the panting since it evokes a feeling of prayerful devotion coupled by his meticulous devotion to the finest detail. Furthermore, the utilisation of bright blues and reds in the masterpiece give life to the painting. This is a form of mature work especially from the use of texture and polished subjects in the three rows of the painting and use of illusionistic perspective that was vital in the creation of a captivating narrative on the different precursors of Christ.

Fra Angelico was a great painter and is still revered in the art industry. As a great painter, Fra derived great inspiration and influence from other colleagues like the likes of Lorenzo Ghiberti in the use of linear perspective among other greats like Gentile di Fabriano, Masaccio whose groundbreaking use of mathematical perspective was noticed in some of his works and Lorenzo Monaco. Art movements like the Early Renaissance also had a significant bearing on his painting styles.

Because of his artistic prowess, Fra Angelico was a source of inspiration to many other contemporary artists. He had far reaching influences in the art industry. Elements of his works could be noticed on the works on different great names in art like Benozzo Gozzoli, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Rogier Van der Weyden and Richard Hamilton and also influenced movements such as the The Pre-Raphaelites and High Renaissance.